The Ugly Sweater Bet
by elipotter18
Summary: Cisco won a bet. Caitlin has to buy an ugly sweater for every day of the week. Oh yeah, and Julian Albert just so happens to be in charge of the store she goes to. (Set in season 4)
1. Chapter 1

When Caitlin Snow had agreed to the U.S.C. of T.F. , she had done it confidently. On the spur of the moment. She was sure, _sure_ she would win the bet she had made with Cisco. There was no way she'd lose. No way. And, when she won, Cisco would have to dust the cortex clean, drop his churro diet for a caesar salad, and watch comedies instead of the classic action movies he liked for a week.

Victory was close, Caitlin was sure. But if not, Ralph had conversed with Cisco and come up with a counter challenge. A vicious one.

One that attacked Caitlin's very apparent being. She would have to buy an ugly sweater everyday for those seven days and wear it until the last second of the sun left that Saturday. She was a little annoyed, but like we said, she was sure her side of the bet would prove victorious. What did they bet on? If Barry Allen, Team Leader and the Flash, would actually finish in jail for the murder of DeVoe.

"You won't," Caitlin had told Barry. "Eh… it looks pretty bad…" Cisco made a sort of motion with his hand. Barry grimaced. "Listen, Barry… we know you didn't do it." Iris comforted.

"Do we?" Harry just had to add from the corner of the room. "Yes," Iris said forcefully. And then the argument had took a heated turn, and of course, Team Flash just had to start blabbing and slap down money. It was unfortunate, Caitlin thought with a sigh, that Barry did have to be in jail.

Not only because he was her very good friend, but because now she was in Cisco's car, sitting between Ralph who was singing along to the radio loudly, and Harry, who seemed sulky and bothered as usual. "Here we are!" Cisco crowed happily, parking his car.

"Yay…" Caitlin huffed.

"Aw, come on! Chill, girl… it's not that bad! You had no mercy on me, though…" Cisco pointed out as the four trooped to a little store. "Whatever…" Caitlin muttered. "We'll wait here." Cisco said, stationing himself by the door. Caitlin raised her eyebrows. "You know," Cisco said uneasily. "In case you try to escape."

"You really think I'd back out on our deal?" she asked incredulously. Cisco grinned. "That's the spirit." "Hurry, Caitlin! I think that's a burrito stand back there!" Ralph said excitedly, hopping up and down to see.

"Ok…" Caitlin replied, ducking into the store. A bell tinkled over her head as the door squeaked closed behind her.

Cisco gave her a thumbs up sign through the glass then turned away to keep Harry from punching Ralph.

"Hello there, anything I can help you with today, ma'am-?" a young man in a striped red and white apron came down the stairs, wiping his hands on a towel.

His words were caught in his throat as his eyes fell on Caitlin.

"You…" he gawked, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "You- what are you doing here?"

"Great- you know, I think I'll be going now…" Caitlin reached for the knob.

"No- wait!" Julian put out his hand to stop her. "Wait- one minute…"

"What, Julian?" Caitlin demanded, bothered.

"I-uh… nice to see you again…" Julian stammered striding a little closer. "Are you here for something particular?" he fidgeted with the string of his apron. "In- the store, I mean…"

Caitlin blushed. How was she supposed to tell him about the dare? "I'm… looking for sweaters." she admitted at last.

"Oh! Cool. It just so happens we got a whole stock of that just two days ago- uh… if you'll follow me." Julian waited cordially for her response.

Caitlin nodded and followed him to a shadowy area of the store. "Here!" he proudly displayed them with his arm.

None of them were ugly enough to pass Cisco's inspection.

"Um… anything- weirder?" Caitlin asked. "Weirder? Uh… I'll check the back-" Julian spun smoothly on his heel and Caitlin noticed his shiny black dress shoes.

"What are you even doing here?" Caitlin questioned while Julian grabbed hold of a ladder on wheels and clambered on up.

"Oh! Uh… funnily enough, it's a pretty long story…" he replied, peering into a box. "Boo!" an adorable little boy with stuck up blonde hair popped up.

"Augh!" Julian let out a shout and let the ladder go. Without a warning, he fell backwards and landed on the ground with a crash, his head colliding with some clothes hangers.

"JULIAN!" Caitlin pitched forwards towards him, coming to an abrupt halt, and sitting down to his level on the floor.

"Teddy!" Julian groaned. The little boy stared out at them with his huge brown eyes.

"My bad?" he made a half shrug.

Julian grunted and sat up.

"Out. Now." he said, nodding at the door and pressing his wound with his hand.

"Sorry, Uncle…" and the little boy climbed out of the box with some difficulty and scurried away.

"Who was that?" Caitlin asked, pulling out her first aid kit.

"No one of importance…" Julian replied, grimacing as Caitlin began to bandage his head.

"What does that mean?"

"He's my cousin Freddie's kid. Nothing more. Is it… does it look too bad?" Julian asked.

"Well, it's stopped gushing blood everywhere, if that's a good sign…" Caitlin muttered, pulling out some sharp doctor tools.

"Right. So… how're you doing?" Julian inquired, drawing his legs up closer to his chest to avoid Caitlin stepping in them as she worked.

"Fine." the Snow answered stiffly, being careful not to make any sort of eye contact.

"That's good." Julian said. "And Frost?"

Caitlin froze. "Fine too."

"No, I mean… is she gone?" Julian asked quietly.

"She can hear you, and she's not very happy." Caitlin informed him.

"Oh." Julian looked at his hands. "Oh, so that meta slave trader didn't help."

"What?!" Caitlin looked at him sharply, the movement making her hand brush over Julian's cut.

"Sweet bloody-" Julian fell backwards, hissing in pain.

"Sorry!" Caitlin squeaked, hurrying to help him up again.

"It's nothing. Probably my fault anyway." Julian answered darkly, frowning.

"You just-"

"Caught you off guard? Yeah, I thought as much." Julian shrugged.

"Try to keep still…" Caitlin told him, easing his shoulders back down as she continued shining the flashlight at his blood stained blond hair.

"Right. Sorry."

"So- how did you find out?"

"Let's just say there's this thing called the internet, and I may have access to it, as do many people and-"

Caitlin cut him off angrily. "That's not funny, Julian. I know how."

"Then what's your question, doctor?" Julian demanded.

"I-"

"Yeah, I'd been hoping you'd at least tell me yourself. But no. You could have taken the antidote I made- especially for you- with your mum no less…" Julian's voice rose an octave. "But no. The great Caitlin Snow just has to take the overly complicated honestly evil, meta hater and user, over me. Sure, why not." Julian glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. I'll fix myself up later is there anything you were looking for here, because if not-"

"You will not."

"What?" Julian looked up, Caitlin's words startling him.

"You won't." she repeated.

"Won't what?"

"Won't 'fix yourself up'. I'll do it, this could get infected."

"I'm a doctor too, Miss Snow." Julian retorted curtly.

"Julian do yourself a favor and shut up for a second. And… what I wanted to buy can wait." Caitlin said forcefully.

"Whatever, just- hurry. If the blokes show up and find me like this, count me as done for." Julian said, resentfully rubbing his jaw.

"Why?" Caitlin asked.

"You'll have to be more clear- why what?" Julian asked.

"Why- wait." Caitlin stood up.

"What? What- see anyone?" Julian demanded, struggling to get up but feeling light headed from his encounter with the floor.

"No," Caitlin seized his shoulder to keep him down. "No, I just saw this." she held up a dark green, fuzzy sweater that was at least five sizes bigger than her, with ugly braid like patterns on the front.

"Dear me, what's happened to you…" Julian breathed.

Caitlin cracked a small smile.

"You- you want that?" Caitlin could see Julian swallowing down his remarks and trying to regain his professional demeanor.

"Yeah." Caitlin could see Ralph growing restless outside, and Harry was ticking, each second closer to an explosion.

"Ok?" Julian made to stand.

"No, I'll do it." Caitlin said quickly, walking to the cashier. "Want to walk me through it?"

"Er- sure. Yeah." Julian agreed. "So, the cashier."

Caitlin raised an eyebrow.

Julian looked uncertain and willed himself to get up.

"I'm not going to steal from your cousins store, Jules…" Caitlin said incredulously, rolling her eyes.

"No- of course not- I know!" Julian looked torn. "Just- it's only that… see, my cousins will kill me if they see me off duty…"

"Why're they so tough on you?" Caitlin questioned, slightly amused.

"Um- see… they may or may not be lending me one of their apartments for me to sleep in and have their maid come over with lunch everyday…" Julian laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "So yeah, you could say I'm a tad bit indebted to them…"

"Ok. Then tell me how to get the change out fast so I can go." Caitlin responded.

"Question:" Julian raised his right hand meekly. "If you go… when will I see you again?"

"Oh." Caitlin felt as if the air had been knocked out of her, and she had no answer ready.

"Yeah, ok…" Julian managed to get to his feet. "I thought so." he took the sweater from her none too gently and took out the change in quarters. "Here. Have a good evening." and he walked back up the stairs, leaving Caitlin staring after him, stunned.

"So how'd it go?" Cisco asked as they piled into the car.

"It was… ok…" Caitlin blinked hard, racking her brain to try to hold on to any hopeful part of her time in the store.

"Yeah?" Cisco looked skeptical as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

"Want some?" Ralph asked, shoving his burrito under her nose.

"Um… no thanks." suddenly, Caitlin wished she wasn't sitting next to him.

"Your loss." Ralph shrugged and dug in as if he hadn't seen or tasted food in a century.

"How'd it really go?" Harry asked her in a low tone.

Caitlin bit her lip. He knew.

"Yeah, don't deny it. I know that look, Ms. Snow. He's there isn't he? That infamous…

Julian Albert."

"Yeah…" Caitlin turned away to look outside the window, splattered with a few rain drops.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hiiiii! So, Part Two! I'm not really sure how you spell Maui (or Mawi Mauii)? But you know who I'm talking about, right? Anyway, this is really out of character for Harry, but there's a reason for it! Without further ado, we have the Ugly Sweater Challenge Chapter 2!**

 **Also, I realized this recently and I really don't want to resubmit the doc so in case you haven't already figured it out (lol jk it was really hard) U.S.C. of T.F. stands for the Ugly sweater challenge of Team Flash. So, yeah. Enjoy! :)**

"So can we see it?" Ralph asked, leaning forwards to peer inside Caitlin's shopping bag.

"Sure, whatever…" she answered, opening the bag and pulling out the sweater she had bought.

"Oh ho! Looks like someone's got good taste!" Cisco snickered.

"You're all evil…" Caitlin sighed.

"Aw, come on! I was worried you'd say something like that to make us feel guilty…" Cisco said.

Caitlin rolled her eyes as she pulled on the huge sweater over her shirt.

"Don't laugh-" Cisco warned as he shrugged off his Green Lantern sweater to reveal a t-shirt with a bow tie designed on it.

Ralph gave him a puzzled look.

Cisco burst out laughing. "Sorry- sorry…" he gasped, grabbing the corner of the desk for support as he keeled over.

"Um… ok." Caitlin quirked an eyebrow at him and sat down to do some work, pulling her laptop closer.

"Whatcha doin?" Ralph asked her.

"Trying to find a valid way to get Barry out of jail…" Caitlin replied, typing quickly.

"As if telling the judges he didn't murder DeVoe would do the trick…" Cisco said, sobering up immediately as he looked over Caitlin's shoulder at the bright screen.

"Hey, where's Iris? And Mr. West?" Ralph looked around the cortex as if just noticing the Wests were not present.

"Joe," Cisco said, stressing the Detective's first name (Ralph was the only one who for some reason called him Mr. West like a little kid). "Is out at work. Probably doing the same thing we are. Trying to help the Flash out of jail…"

"Oh." Ralph nodded. "And Harry?"

"He's… somewhere." Cisco waved it off dismissively, turning back to the laptop.

"Shouldn't we try to, like, find him or something?" Ralph demanded.

"Nah, he's good. Wherever he is." Cisco replied, then to Caitlin. "Have you tried hacking into the jail's system?"

"No good." Caitlin answered with a shake of her head. "I've already tried that."

Cisco let out a small frustrated growl and turned away, seizing the smoothie bottle that lay nearby and taking a big slurp of the pink and orange liquid.

"Hey!" Harry strolled in suddenly, looking weirdly cheerful. "Aren't we going to the store? For another ugly sweater?"

"Uh… no. We have to get Barry out, remember? The deal will have to wait, or we'll just cancel the challenge…" Cisco said.

"Well, we all know Dr. Snow would have taken no mercy on you, jail or no jail." Harry retorted.

Caitlin shook her head at him from behind Cisco and made 'cut it out' signals.

"Hey…" Cisco twirled around and squinted. "Yeah. You're right. The challenge? Still on. Barry can wait a half an hour. Besides, we need a break, we could all use some fresh air."

Caitlin inwardly groaned.

Cisco and Ralph raced to the car but Harry lingered behind with Caitlin.

"What was that for?" she asked him, bothered as she pulled on her coat.

"I think you mean, thank you." Harry said with a grin.

"Thank you?" Caitlin repeated incredulously. "No way-"

"You're welcome." Harry cut in smoothly.

"Did you just Maui me?" Caitlin demanded, thinking back when Cisco had put on Moana for them.

"You're welcome!" Harry said again, this time in a sing songy voice, jazz hands up.

Caitlin frowned. "Are you… feeling ok?"

"Great!" Harry said, walking towards the elevator.

"What's wrong with you?" Caitlin was staring at him worriedly.

"What? Can't I be a little cheerful?" he asked her as they stepped in to the elevator.

"No- it's just…" Caitlin pressed the button for the lower level. "You're not acting like yourself…"

"More like HR? I'm trying to be the perfect balance, ok? Not to brooding like my usual self, and not too… how to say this..." Harry paused, thinking for the right word.

"No. HR was nice," Caitlin said at once.

"Meh. I mean, he was decent. The thing I have discovered about myself from him though, is…" Harry lowered his voice as they hurried outside. "I've got a thing for romance…"

"What?!" Caitlin gaped, seriously getting freaked out.

"Hey! Guys, hurry up! We're leaving you!" Cisco called from across the parking lot, waving his arms at them.

"Yeah…" Harry said with a nod, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"But- Wally and Jesse?" she stuttered as they made their way to the car.

"That's different." Harry said curtly. "Like, don't get me wrong, but my daughter and some kid is not like my good friend Cait and that clumsy mess, Julian."

Caitlin blushed. "That's not happening."

"Look, I didn't support Jesse with the speedster West because she's my only kid. I'm overprotective. And while yes, I do worry about everyone else on the team, naturally I don't want anyone hurt. But…" Harry went on with a low chuckle. "I know drama when I see it. And you and Jules?" he gave her a wink.

"I- wow. I didn't expect anything like… seriously?" Caitlin gasped, struggling to understand this new development, at the same time trying to keep herself together.

"Yeah, I'm a sucker for love stories. Don't judge, Dr. Snow… but I ship it!" Harry tossed his head back and sighed with a hint of a laugh.

Caitlin was nonplussed.

"Hurry up, slowpokes!" Cisco called, starting up his car. Caitlin and Harry hurried and jumped in quickly.

"Ok! Cait- you can get out here. The rest of us are heading to the Disney shop down the block." Cisco explained.

"What about making sure I don't escape?" Caitin asked with a grin.

"Yesterday was cool. So just… wait for us here, ok?" Cisco said, looking a little apologetic for some reason.

"Ok…" Caitlin answered. She nodded at Ralph and blinked at Harry, and then she was off.

"Do you think she fell for it?" Cisco turned to the two other guys in the car.

Ralph made a perfect sign with his fingers and Harry said, "Oh, she fell for it."

"Yeah, dudes! That was some darn good acting…" Ralph added.

"Let's just keep it up, men…" Cisco chortled, eyes dancing.

"Not a problem, Cisco." Harry answered with a dutiful nod.

Caitlin meanwhile, had neared the door to the store. For a second she considered making a run for it, she was familiar with this part of the outskirts of Central City. But, when she looked over her shoulder, the car was still there. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair nervously and pushed in.

"Hello?" she called out.

"Ey! Our first customer of the day, how wonderful…" a man with a thick British accent who wasn't Julian shuffled forwards.

"Hi…" Caitlin thought she should feel relieved, but instead she found herself being disappointed.

"Anything you need help with locating…?" the man asked.

"No… no, actually." She said. She couldn't exactly say Julian, could she?

The man was looking at her strangely, almost like he was biting back a laugh.

Now that Caitlin thought about it, had she remember to comb her hair? She caught a quick glimpse of herself in the window. Yes, she had. That wasn't it.

"Um…" she said to break the awkward silence.

"You- you're Caitlin Snow, aren't you? The doctor who helped build up that… particle accelerator?" he asked, cocking his head sideways at her.

And paying dearly for it, Caitlin wanted to add but instead, bit back her tongue and said, "Yes, I am."

"Interesting…" the man trailed off.

Was it just her, or was everyone acting really weird lately? Caitlin thought.

"He thinks about you know…"

Caitlin looked at the man sharply.

"He thinks and talks about you nonstop… even in his sleep… don't think the man is a creep or anything, but... he's a creep." the man continued solemnly, keeping a straight face.

Caitlin stared at him. "Who?" she dreaded the answer.

"Ju-Ju, of course! That lazy disaster of a bloke…" the man shook his head. "I'm Ernest, by the way. His sweet and lovely cousin." he paused for a moment and thought. "Eh… don't tell him about what I said, yeah? I was only doing my job…"

"You job?" Caitlin demanded, something was fishy.

"Yeah, miss! To be an annoying older cousin!" the man laughed.

Harry, now this crazy shop owner. It seemed there could be no limit to the amount of storm clouds that turned into Pinkie Pies from My Little Pony…

"Um… where… where is Julian?" Caitlin coughed a little, trying to look as casual and uninterested as possible.

The man stopped laughing and jerked a thumb at the stairs Julian had come down the day before.

"The boy's upstairs, feeling a bit out of sorts, I think. Sleeped in today, actually. And Julian's the unbreakable! He always, always gets up bright and early. Ready for work, he says. That's the one remarkable trait of the man… why he didn't get up today until all of us were, I can't imagine… even when he had a bad case of the measles as a boy, he got up early for school… strange, really. I do wonder just what went on yesterday- that's when he's gotten a bit sour, you see…"

"Oh, Julian…" Caitlin breathed, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Would you like to visit him? He's probably decent by now… I heard him moving around in his bedroom a few minutes ago when I came down…" Ernest said with a wide smile.

"No-" she started to say. It's the least you can do, try to cheer him up… she thought. "Sure. Lead the way!" she forced a smile to return.

"Brilliant! Follow me, please… excuse the mess… we've got my children living here too, so… you know, kids…" Ernest rolled his eyes and stopped short in front of a wooden door after clambering up a set of stairs.

"Let's hope he doesn't roar at me…" he said with a little wince. "Oi! Sleeping beauty!" he rapped on the door.

Caitlin grimaced. Ernest seemed to be asking for a fight.

"Come in, if you must…" Julian replied, sounding sleepy.

"You've got a visitor. Have you got your clothes? I do believe I asked George to carry yours to your room… well, did he?" Ernest barked.

"Yeah. He did. Thanks, Ernie… uh- listen, now's not the time for Teddy to sing for me… I'm just gonna try to sleep, yeah?"

"Nope, no Teddy. Or George or Anastasia. You've got a lady visitor…" Ernest answered.

There was no response from the other side.

"I'll-I'll just be going then…" Caitlin said, making for the stairs.

But just then, the door flew open and there stood Julian. Like Caitlin had never seen him before.

He was wearing regular jeans and a white t-shirt with strokes of messy purple lines down the front of it that looked like they had been painted. Caitlin knew they weren't though, she'd seen a shirt like that on a mannequin when she had passed a men's store at the mall a week ago. She'd thought it looked a little strange, but Julian wore it well. His intense gaze fell on her and Caitlin took a step back almost instinctively.

His hair was stuck up and messy, but besides that, he looked like he'd been awake for a long time.

"Hey, you."

Caitlin couldn't help grinning.

" _You're_ late for work." Ernest told him, then stomped down the hall, grumbling about laziness and throwing toys and pajamas from the floor over his shoulder as he went.

"Can I come in?" Caitlin asked him.

Julian shrugged and stepped back to let her through.

"Sorry, you know… about the mess…" he nodded at the small room. "I wasn't expecting company."

The bed was unmade and most of the blankets were dragging on the floor. A soup bowl filled with pasta lay cooling on the desk, and most of the mess was caused by the amount of papers littering the wooden floor.

"Alphabet chicken soup…" Caitlin noted, stirring the soup a little.

Julian nodded. "My favorite."

"I… didn't know. So. How are you feeling?"

Julian looked at her for a moment before answering. "Oh, you know. Fine." he sat on his bed criss cross applesauce, surveying her patiently.

Caitlin walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You miss being on Team Flash, don't you?"

Julian laughed bitterly. "You mean being independent? Oh yeah, I might miss it a bit."

Caitlin bit her lip. "You can come back, you know… you don't have to work here…"

"Yeah, that'd be a pleasant conversation starter, wouldn't it? ...My parents have, in a way, put me under the authority of Ernest. He's basically my babysitter. Me on top of his five other kids. And his struggling business. Awful selfish to be here, I think, I feel like I'm only making things worse for him." Julian rubbed his head against an oncoming headache. "And the worst is, I can't leave."

"Not even to try to get your job back at the CCPD?" Caitlin asked.

"Not even." Julian sighed. "Singh isn't, well, exactly welcoming to people who drop out like I did…"

Caitlin's eyes fell to her lap. "I'm sorry." she said.

"No! It's not your fault. I should be apologizing, really. Boring you with the tale of my dull and uneventful-" Julian cut himself off.

Caitlin had turned suddenly to face him completely, and hugged him.

He chuckled and hugged back, recovering from his initial shock at the act.

"What's this for?" he asked.

Caitlin pulled back a little and made a face at him, sticking out her tongue.

"My bad. Please, don't let me stop you…" Julian grinned cheekily.

"Don't make me Frost you…" Caitlin said with a sweet smile.

"Aye aye…" Julian said.

"JULIAN ALBERT WE NEED YOU DOWNSTAIRS NOW AND UNLIKE WHATEVER DELUDED AND MESSED UP WORLD YOU THINK WE LIVE IN, WE HAVE ACTUAL CUSTOMERS AT CASHIER 17!"

Julian winced. "I've got work." he said standing.

"I'll help! The Team thinks I'm choosing another sweater…" Caitlin explained quickly.

Julian froze and raised an eyebrow at her, amused. "Say what?"

"It's complicated, Julian... just a stupid bet." Caitlin said.

"Oooh how fun. I suppose that explains the sweater thing yesterday… so the Caitlin I remember is still the same!" Julian teased.

"Were you worried?"

"Slightly."

"Well," Caitlin said. "I don't see you wearing any fancy button up shirts or ties today… what's up?"

"Nothing." Julian said with a small smile. "Just trying something new. You know, my 'rich little boy' way of being rebellious."

Caitlin laughed.

"Ok, let's go before Ernie gets past his calm stage to all worked up…" Julian reached for the doorknob.

"You called that calm?" Caitlin demanded incredulously.

"For him. Yeah." Julian yanked open the door and Caitlin followed him out.

Julian side glanced at her. "I sense a question."

Caitlin rolled her eyes and poked his shoulder, annoyed. "How smart of you." then. "Yeah, I do have a question, actually…"

"If it's about this lot, what can I say, they're strange. Although, they're nice people. You've just… caught us all at the wrong moments. Teddy playing peekaboo nearly cracked my head open, Ernest wanted to strangle me just now, and this house is just the messiest thing… you ought to see us when things are really bad… and then there's me. Stupid Julian who thought he could be something more than. Who tried to be a part of something and failed. Who dropped his CSI job, something my parents have scorned and spoken out against for years. And now they're so pleased, rubbing it in my face. They think I stopped because it was… to hard or something. Or that I missed them a whole lot." Julian scoffed as they sprinted down the stairs to the store. "Yeah, right."

"Poor little Ju-Ju." Caitlin joked.

"I'll have you know that that's a software… or a part of a country…I think." Julian retorted, slightly flustered.

Caitlin laughed.

"It's not that funny…" he said.

"It is to me!" Caitlin giggled. "Ju ju!"

Julian let out an exasperated sigh and smiled at her wickedly. "I'll get even with you for that one…" he vowed.

"We'll see…" Caitlin said.

"HURRY UPPPPP WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

"Whoops. That's my cue." Julian gave her a lopsided grin and ran to the cashier.


End file.
